Family Campout

**Another catch-up post from the summer**

Our family used to have an annual campout every summer.  When I say family I don't just mean my parents and siblings, no I mean everyone, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandma...you get the idea.  I think it may have actually started for my birthday as I usually wanted to go camping for my birthday - so we ended up celebrating all of the July birthdays camping (there were 3-4 of us).

This year we celebrated my two baby cousins' birthday with a campout the first weekend in August.  Our camping used to consist of tents, but now my brother and my cousin Joel have upgraded to nice trailers which seems to make things so much easier.  The kids and I still slept in our tent and they did really well.

Campfires are the best!  Uncle Mike put McGee and Hannah to work collecting stick and taught them how to make a proper fire.  Grandma got some snuggles in with baby Skye.

Smores...the ultimate campfire tradition.  This top left photo is Em's taste of her first smore.  Mmm.... I love campfires!

The days were spent with wiffle ball games, fun in the dirt, and all the joys of camping.

Time with family was the best part!

Miss Hannah and Miss Ashlee celebrated their 4th and 1st birthdays!

Grandma and Grandpa bought McGee his first fishing pole - a Lightning McQueen one with a great rubber tire weight which was perfect for practicing his casting.  Uncle Mike took him out to try casting and fishing in the water.

Daddy ended up not being able to join us since he found out he had a job the day before we were to leave and he only had the weekend to set his new class up.  We were disappointed he would have to miss out on our first camping trip with the kids, but were thankful he had a job.  

Saturday night while we were out fishing my cousin Joel said, "Hey!" to someone and I expected it was another friend of his he knew.  When McGee and I turned around we were happily surprised to see Daddy who drove a couple of hours to come see us for an hour or two and then turn around to drive home as he was playing for worship the next morning at church.  I just love surprises - don't you?

It really meant a lot to have Daddy be there for McGee's first "fishing" experience (no fish were actually caught).

Had to sneak in a family shot before Daddy headed home.

Sunday morning we were blessed to enjoy a church service in the quaint little chapel on the lake.  The pastor who married Daddy and I gave the message and although I enjoyed what I could, it was hard to hear it all since Miss Em had me running around outside with her.

Camping = Dirt.  Plain and simple, and I love it!  I love cousins too.